Hibiscus plant named ‘Landrasos’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Hibiscus  named ‘Lanbrasos’, characterized by its large flowers that are dark red in color with a darker eye zone, its short leaf internode lengths, its very dark green foliage, its good self-branching, and its very vigorous growth habit.

Botanical classification: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis.

Cultivar designation: ‘Lanbrasos’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hibiscusplant of hybrid origin, botanically known as Hibiscus rosa-sinensis‘Lanbrasos’ and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name,‘Lanbrasos’. ‘Lanbrasos’ is a new cultivar of tropical hibiscus grownfor use as a landscape and container plant.

The new cultivar was developed through an on-going breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Malause, France. The objectives of thebreeding program are to develop new cultivars of Hibiscus that exhibitcompact plant habits with self-branching and a well-balanced planthabit.

The Inventor made a cross in July of 2006 between ‘Helene Rouge’ (notpatented) as the female parent and ‘Holiday Rouge’ (not patented) as themale parent. ‘Lanbrasos’ was selected as a single unique plant from theresulting seedlings in September of 2009.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stemcuttings in Malause, France in September of 2009 by the Inventor.Asexual propagation by stem cuttings has determined that thecharacteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced trueto type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics ‘Lanbrasos’. These attributes in combination distinguish‘Lanbrasos’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Hibiscus.

-   -   1. ‘Lanbrasos’ exhibits large flowers that are dark red in color        with a darker eye zone.    -   2. ‘Lanbrasos’ exhibits short leaf internode lengths.    -   3. ‘Lanbrasos’ exhibits very dark green foliage.    -   4. ‘Lanbrasos’ exhibits good self-branching.    -   5. ‘Lanbrasos’ exhibits a very vigorous growth habit.

The female parent of ‘Lanbrasos’, ‘Helene Rouge’, differs from‘Lanbrasos’ in having smaller flowers that are lighter red in color, incommencing bloom later in the season, and in having less self-branching.The male parent of ‘Lanbrasos’, ‘Holiday Rouge’, differs from‘Lanbrasos’ in having smaller flowers that are lighter red in color andin having less self-branching. ‘Lanbrasos’ can also be most closelycompared to the cultivars ‘Arionicus’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,746) and‘Marseille’ (not patented). Both are similar to ‘Lanbrasos’ in havingflowers that are red in color. ‘Arionicus’ differs from ‘Lanbrasos’ inhaving a smaller eye zone that is lighter in color with pink stripes, inhaving longer leaf internodes, and in having less self-branching.‘Marseille’ differs from ‘Lanbrasos’ in having flowers that are smallerwith orange tones and a center zone that is lighter red in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Hibiscus. The photographs weretaken of a six month-old plant of ‘Lanbrasos’ as grown in a one-galloncontainer in a greenhouse in Malause, France.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of ‘Lanbrasos’ in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of a flower of‘Lanbrasos’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with the digitalphotography and printing techniques utilized and the color codes in thedetailed botanical description accurately describe the new Hibiscus.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of 8 month-old plants of the newcultivar as grown in two-quart containers in a greenhouse in GrandSaline, Tex. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variationsin environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not beentested under all possible environmental conditions. The colordetermination is in accordance with The 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chart of TheRoyal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general colorterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General characteristics:    -   -   Blooming period.—Continuously through summer in Grand            Saline, Tex. and Malause, France.        -   Plant type.—Tropical evergreen shrub.        -   Plant habit.—Upright and slightly spreading, compact.        -   Height and spread.—Reaches 35 to 45 cm in height and 30 to            40 cm in spread.        -   Hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zones 9 to 11.        -   Diseases.—Not susceptible or resistance to diseases has been            observed.        -   Root description.—Fibrous roots.        -   Propagation.—Stem cutting.        -   Growth rate.—Very vigorous.-   Stem description:    -   -   Shape.—Slightly oval.        -   Stem color.—New growth; 138A, maturing wood; 191A, mature            wood; 197A with striations of 197D.        -   Stem size.—Main stems; an average of 4.5 cm in length and 9            mm in width, lateral stems; an average of 17.5 cm in length            and 4 mm in diameter.        -   Stem surface.—New growth; very sparse hairs, maturing wood;            very sparse hairs, mature wood; finely striated.        -   Stem aspect.—Held upright to an average angle of 10°            (0°=vertical).        -   Stem strength.—Strong.        -   Branching.—Self-branching, an average of 1 main stem and 5            lateral branches per main stem in a gallon container.        -   Internode.—Average of 4.5 cm.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Ovate.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf base.—Rounded.        -   Leaf apex.—Acute.        -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, 141B on upper surface and 143A on            lower surface.        -   Leaf margins.—New leaves; smooth, mature leaves; serrate and            wavy.        -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Leaf orientation.—Held downward.        -   Leaf aspect.—Slightly cupped inward to flat.        -   Leaf surface.—Upper surface glabrous and glossy, lower            surface very sparsely pubescent and satiny.        -   Leaf color.—Young and mature leaves upper surface N134A,            lower surface 143A.        -   Leaf size.—Average of 11.5 cm in length, and 9.0 cm in            width.        -   Leaf quantity.—About 4 leaves per lateral branch 17.5 cm in            length.        -   Petioles.—Average of 4.0 cm in length and 3.8 mm in            diameter, 137A in color, finely pubescent surface.-   Flower description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Flowers are solitary.        -   Lastingness of flowers.—About 1 day, self cleaning.        -   Flower size.—An average of 6 cm in depth and 12 cm in            diameter.        -   Flower fragrance.—None.        -   Flower shape.—Rotate.        -   Flower number.—Average of 2 per lateral stem at one time,            continuously produces throughout the summer.        -   Flower aspect.—Upright and horizontal when fully open.        -   Flower bud.—Elliptic in shape, an average of 3 cm in length            and 2 cm in width, color a blend of N144A and 60B, apex            (petal portion); 60B.        -   Flower attachment.—Peduncle.        -   Petal number.—5.        -   Petal shape.—Orbicular.        -   Petal color.—Upper surface when opening and fully opened;            46B with veins NN155D near eye zone and eye zone 187A, lower            surface when opening and fully opened; 45D with a blend of            11A on the right side of the petal and a spot on the base.        -   Petal surface.—Both surfaces smooth and dull on upper            portion and satiny near base.        -   Petal margins.—Slightly wavy.        -   Petal apex.—Rounded.        -   Petal base.—Cuneate, slightly oblique and adnate to base of            style.        -   Petal size.—Average of 7 cm in length and 5 cm in width.        -   Sepal number.—5.        -   Sepal shape.—Elliptic.        -   Sepal margin.—Entire.        -   Sepal size.—Average of 3 cm in length and 1 cm in width.        -   Sepal aspect.—Upright, lower 60% fused.        -   Sepal surface.—Outer surface puberulent, inner surface            glabrous and glossy.        -   Sepal apex.—Cuspidate.        -   Sepal base.—Fused.        -   Sepal color.—Young and mature outer and inner surface; a            blend of 144A and 145A.        -   Calyx.—Campanulate in shape, average of 3 cm in length and            1.5 cm in diameter.        -   Peduncles.—An average of 5 cm in length and 3 mm in            diameter, strong, average angle is upright to 45°, 149A in            color very sparsely pubescent surface.        -   Pedicels.—Not present, flowers are solitary from terminal            leaf axils.        -   Bracts.—Average of 7 bracts held upright surrounding sepals,            oblong in shape, apiculate apex, truncate base, average of 2            cm in length and 5 mm in width, a color between 137B in            color on inner and outer surface, surface is slightly            pubescent on inner and outer surface.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Gynoecium.—1 pistil, about 7.5 cm in length, stigmas; 5,            club-shaped, and mixed 46A in color with style arms 47B in            color, 1 cm in length, and pubescent, style; 6 cm in length            and 46B, base is 187A, ovary; oblong in shape, 1 cm in            length and 1 cm in width, 11C in color and completely            covered by the base of the pistil style.        -   Androecium.—Stamens; average of 50, stamens are clustered            and implanted into upper portion of style, anthers;            dorsifixed and orbicular in shape, 1 mm in diameter, and 14C            in color; filament; 5 mm in length, 0.3 mm in width, and 46B            in color, pollen; moderate in quantity and 14C in color.        -   Fruit/seeds.—None observed.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hibiscus plant named‘Lanbrasos’ as herein illustrated and described.